Live content streaming system and method

ABSTRACT

A live media streaming system and method is presented herein. The system and method includes broadcasting a live media stream in at least one of a plurality of themed broadcasting channels, the live media stream being transmitted from a broadcasting device corresponding to a broadcasting user. A jump zone (a physical region or area) is selected or defined based upon predetermined jump zone criteria corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of themed broadcasting channels. Further, a next broadcasting user is selected, wherein the user is located within the physical geographic region of the jump zone. Once the next broadcasting user is selected, a live media stream is broadcasted from the next user&#39;s broadcasting device.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY/CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation patent application ofpreviously-filed, currently-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/183,305 filed on Jun. 15, 2016, which is based on and a claim topriority is made under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/181,508 filed on Jun. 18, 2015. The contents of bothprior applications are incorporated herein in their entirety byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to a system and method forallowing content broadcasting users to compete for the opportunity tobroadcast live media, such as live video and/or audio, to a specificallythemed channel that is part of a larger collection of themed channelsfor a limited amount of time with the opportunity to be allottedadditional broadcasting time based on live votes by voting or viewingusers who are viewing and voting on the content and/or the broadcaster.In certain embodiments, a dynamic jump zone is determined, for example,based upon a geographic location of the current content broadcastinguser in order to select the next content broadcasting user who islocated within the determined jump zone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Video conferencing and video communications are known, although they arelargely used for business to business applications and/or personalone-on-one communications. There is a need for a video, audio and/ormobile streaming system and method that is largely social, competitiveand entertaining.

For example, the proposed system and method would allow users to competewith one another for broadcasting time and, in some implementations,while broadcasting, attempt to receive positive votes or high ratingsfrom viewers in order to continue the broadcast. Particularly, users maybe able to accumulate points by participating in or completing tasks,such as by performing social shares, broadcasting media, completingsurveys, filling out profile information, connecting a profile withexternal social networks, etc. Those users with the highest ranking orlargest number of points have a better opportunity or chance tobroadcast via the proposed system and method.

Some implementations may also include a dynamic or moving jump zone,which is a physical or geographic location within which the nextbroadcasting user must be located. Jump zones may be defined in a numberof different ways, including being between a minimum and/or a maximumradial distance from the current broadcasting user, or being in adifferent state, country, university, college, stadium, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to a system and method forproviding live broadcast feeds on various themed channels, where users,e.g., broadcasting users, compete with one another to earn the abilityto broadcast media. In particular, users of at least one embodiment ofthe system and method may be provided the opportunity to complete taskswithin the system and method in order to obtain points or credits.Selection or determination of the next broadcaster, for example, withina themed channel, may be at least partially determined based upon theuser's points, credits or ranking within the system and method. In someembodiments, another factor used to determine or select a user tobroadcast media via the system and method may include defining a jumpzone. For example, the jump zone may be used to define a physical zone,area, region, etc. within which the next broadcaster must be located. Insome cases, the next broadcaster will be selected or determined as beingthe highest ranking user (or highest ranking user who has indicated adesire to broadcast at that moment) within the jump zone.

For example, the jump zone may be defined as a radial distance from thecurrent broadcasting user (e.g., between a minimum and a maximum radialdistance). Other embodiments or channels may define the jump zone asbeing a next or different state, country, region, university, college,stadium, arena, etc. This creates a dynamic and moving zone within whichthe next broadcaster must be located.

According, the broadcasters may complete tasks and other opportunitiesto increase his or her rank within the system and method and hope tooutrank other broadcasting users located within the jump zone for theopportunity to broadcast media. If the broadcasting user wins theopportunity to broadcast media, then he or she is assigned a specific(often predetermined) amount of time (e.g., one or two minutes) tobroadcast live on a particular themed (or other) channel. During theallotted or initial amount of time, voting users can submit votesattributed to the broadcast—positive votes may result in additional time(e.g., one or two minutes) allotted to the current broadcast, whereasnegative votes may result in premature or immediate termination of thecurrent broadcast. Other users may include watching users, or passiveviewers who are able to view the broadcasts but do not provide any votesor broadcast themselves.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent when the drawings as well as thedetailed description are taken into consideration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the system as disclosed inaccordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the broadcasting management system of atleast one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating the method of at least oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a schematic representation of a broadcasting or contentproviding device streaming a broadcast through the broadcast managementsystem of at least one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4B is an exemplary screenshot illustrating an exemplary channellist of a plurality of themed channels in accordance with at least oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4C is an exemplary screenshot of a voting device illustrating thelive broadcast stream in accordance with at least one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary schematic representation of the systemillustrating overlapping jump zones as disclosed herein. Like referencenumerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of thedrawings provided herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in the accompanying drawings, and with particular reference toFIGS. 1 and 3, the present invention is generally directed to a system10 and method 100 for providing a live content stream or broadcast, forexample, from one or more content broadcasting or content providingdevices 20 to one or more content viewing devices 30, 40. Particularly,in at least one embodiment of the system 10 and/or method 100,broadcasting users 22 will compete with one another for the opportunityto broadcast or stream media from his or her device 20 and to one ormore viewing devices 30, 40 or viewing users 32, 42. For instance, thesystem 10 and/or method 100 of some embodiments will select or determinewhich broadcasters or users 22 may stream or broadcast media based uponthe location of the user(s) 22 and/or based upon a determined rank ornumber of points within the system 10 or method 100 that each user 22has accumulated.

More in particular, a jump zone 50 may be calculated or determined bythe system 10 or method 100, for example, based upon a location of thecurrent broadcasting user 22 and predetermined jump zone criteria,including, but not limited to a minimum and maximum distance. Otherusers 22 who may be located within the jump zone 50 may elect tobroadcast content from his or her device 20, however, the system 10and/or method 100 of one embodiment will only select one user (or otherpredetermined number of users) from within the jump zone 50 to broadcastmedia next (e.g., once the current broadcast has terminated or ended)for each of a number of different channels. In addition to the locationof the potential next broadcaster, that selection may be based upon anumber of points the user(s) has accumulated and/or a ranking associatedwith the user from within or by the system 10 or method 100.

With reference to FIG. 1, the system 10 of at least one embodiment ofthe present invention includes a broadcast management system 60interconnected with or communicative with one or more communication,computer or data networks 15. Also as shown in FIG. 1, the system 10 mayinclude one or more content providing devices 20 and one or more contentviewing devices, such as a voting device 30 and/or a passive watchingdevice 40, disposed in a communicative relation with the network 15. Thebroadcast management system 60 may communicate with the various devices20, 30, 40, for instance, via network(s) 15, in order to implement thevarious embodiments of the present invention in the intended manner, asdescribed herein. It should also be noted that some embodiments mayinclude an administrative profile or admin user interconnected to thebroadcast management system 60, either directly or remotely. In additionto other tasks and roles, the admin user may have permissions to set up,define, change, modify, add or delete various parameters for the one ormore broadcasting channels, as provided herein.

Moreover, the computer, communication or data network(s) 15, as usedherein, may include virtually any local, remote or wide rangecommunication network or collection of networks capable of facilitatingthe practice of the present invention in the intended manner, such asthe World Wide Web or Internet, telecommunication networks such as 3G,4G, LTE, etc., Intranet, Wide Area Networks, Bluetooth, Near-fieldCommunication (NFC) networks, etc., or any combination thereof.Particularly, the network(s) 15 can include any known networks forfacilitating communicate of media such as audio, video and/or datacommunications such as, for example, a cellular network, local areanetwork (LAN), the interne, VOIP, or SMS service, etc.

Still referring to the schematic of FIG. 1, the broadcast managementsystem 60 of at least one embodiment of the present invention mayinclude any one or more computer systems structured to store,communicate and/or process data and/or media, including, for example,profile information corresponding to one or more users 22, 32, 42,provide or manage media broadcasting or streaming, for example, from onedevice 20 to another one or more devices 30, 40, etc.

For instance, as provided in the block diagram of FIG. 2, the broadcastmanagement system 60 may include a computer processor 61, data storagedevice 62, memory 63, and one or more communication devices or hardware64 (e.g., network device(s), web server(s), etc.) Particularly, thebroadcast management system 60 of at least one embodiment of the presentinvention may comprise one or more web servers or data servers,including software and hardware structured to receive information anddata, and to communicate data, information, media, web pages,applications, etc. via the network 15 in accordance with the presentinvention.

More in particular, the computer processor 61 may include, for example,any device cooperatively structured to execute or implement computerinstructions, software, etc., including the method 100 as disclosed inaccordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thedata storage device 62, as used herein, may include one or moreinternal, external or removable hard disk drives, CD/DVD, USB drives,solid state drives, virtual drives, could-based storage drives, or othertypes of volatile or non-volatile memory, and may include any one ormore databases or other like data structures configured to store andretrieve data, media, and other information in accordance with thevarious embodiments of the present invention. Further, the memory device63, as used herein, may include but is not limited to random accessmemory (RAM) or other like devices configured to implement the presentinvention in the intended manner, for example, by at least temporarystoring and assisting with the execution of one or more applications orcomputer programs capable of implementing the system 10 and methods 100described herein. Moreover, the communication device 64 may include anetwork communication hardware/software component structured tofacilitate communication between the broadcasting management system 60and/or other devices 20, 30, 40 provided herein.

Furthermore, the user devices, such as the content providing device(s)22 and/or the content viewing device(s) including the voting device(s)32 and/or passive watching device(s) 42 of the various embodiments ofthe present invention may include virtually any computer based system,such as, but not limited to a desktop computer, laptop computer, mobilecomputer, tablet, cellular or mobile phone, smart phone, media device,game device, PDA, etc. capable of performing the tasks associated witheach device, such as capturing or broadcasting media, displaying media,communicating with the network(s) 15 and/or broadcasting managementsystem 60, etc. The broadcasting device(S) 20 may thus include a camera,microphone, or other video and/or audio capturing devices.

Particularly, in some embodiments, a user may first download, install orotherwise access an application (e.g., a mobile application) or websitevia his or her device corresponding to the system 10 and method 100 ofthe present invention. For instance, the user may navigate anapplication store or database (e.g., Apple App Store, or Google PlayStore) in order to select, download, install or access an applicationcorresponding to the present invention. In some embodiments, the usermay begin by electing to either become a content broadcasting user 22, avoting user 32 and/or a watcher 42. Particularly, in some embodiments,the user will be prompted to create an account or user profile that maycontain, among other items, the user's name, email address, or othercontact information, username, password, etc. Other profile informationmay include various text, data, images, pictures, links, etc. that theuser may find interesting or that the user may think other users willfind interesting. Adding content to a user profile in some instances maybe rewarded with points or an increased ranking, which, as describedherein, may be used by the system 10 and/or method 100 to determine orselect the next broadcaster.

In addition, the user(s) may elect to link one or more external socialnetworking profiles (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) to his orher user profile. For instance, as described herein, the opportunity tobroadcast media or content via the system 10 and method 100 of someembodiments is based upon a competitive point system. Linking socialnetwork accounts to a user profile of the present invention may be a wayto earn points and/or increase a user ranking. It should also be notedthat the broadcaster 22 may include his or her own profile page, forexample, host by or maintained by the system 10 of the presentinvention. This profile page can include certain profile information,such as username, location, comments, etc. Other users of the system 10and method 100 can follow profile page(s) of other users, providing aneasy way to keep track of favorites and/or in order to be notified(e.g., by email or through the system 10 and method 100) when a followeduser is broadcasting.

Referring now to the high level flow chart of FIG. 3, the method 100includes broadcasting live media from a content providing device, asshown at 102, for example, via a broadcasting module 65. It should benoted that some embodiments of the present invention may include aplurality of different channels or stations, for example, each with adifferent or predetermined theme or topic. At any given time, withineach channel, there may be a different media broadcast, for example,from different content providing devices 20. Accordingly, the system 10and method 100 may provide live broadcasting from a plurality ofdifferent content providing devices 20 within a plurality of differentchannels or themed broadcasting channels. Particularly, when a contentproviding user 22 decides to broadcast media, he or she may first selecta channel or themed broadcasting channel within which to broadcast.Similarly, when a content viewing user 32, 42 decides to receive or viewa live broadcast, he or she may select a themed broadcasting channel,for example, from a list or other display.

Particularly, for exemplary purposes only, in some embodiments, thechannels or themes associated with the channels may include, but are inno way limited to: extreme sports, sports, comedy, cooking, live music,freestyle rap, dance, poetry, economics, politics, faith/religion,animals, pranks, video games, video game tricks, how-to,makeup/hair/fashion, consumer buyer advice, health and fitness, voiceover, magic, addiction (people recovering from alcohol and drugaddiction), rated “R”, college, World, travel, courageous, selling, etc.Other potential channels may include, but are in no way limited tonational events (e.g., college football game day), world events (e.g.,holidays), internal events (e.g., Coachella).

In any event, as schematically shown in FIG. 4A, for example, thecontent broadcasting user 22 will utilize his or her cell phone,computer, web camera, or other content broadcasting device 20 in orderto capture and stream live media. In some embodiments, the live streamor broadcast will be communicated to the broadcast management system 60,for example, via network(s) 15, where other users, such as voting user32 and/or watching users 42 may select and view the broadcast.Furthermore, some embodiments of the system 10 and/or method 100 of thepresent invention limit each broadcast to an amount of time, such that,when the time expires, the next broadcaster or user is able to broadcastlive on the corresponding channel, for example, as determined via a nextbroadcaster selection module and/or a jump zone module discussed herein.For instance, as shown at 103 in FIG. 3, the method 100 includes settingan initial broadcasting time. It should be noted that the allotted orinitial time may be different for different channels, different regions,different users, etc., and in some embodiments may be extended, forexample, based upon received votes, as provided herein.

In addition, with reference to FIG. 4B, in one embodiment, the contentviewing users 32, 42, using their respective device(s) 30, 40, are ableto view a list of channels 202, such as themed channels upon which livecontent may be broadcasted or streamed. Selecting a channel from thelist 202 or other channel display will cause the corresponding device30, 40 to receive and display a corresponding broadcast or media stream,including, for example, an audio and/or content stream 204, as shown,for example, in FIG. 4C. While viewing the content stream or broadcast204, voting users 32 may be able to submit votes or rate the currentbroadcast.

Particularly, the system 10 and method 100 further includes receivingand tracking votes attributed to a broadcast or media stream, asrepresented in the flow chart of FIG. 3 at 104, via a voting module 66,which may include any combination of hardware and/or software configuredto receive, track and attribute votes in accordance with at least oneembodiment of the present invention. For example, referring back to FIG.4C, users, and in particular voting users, may submit one or more votesattributed to the currently display or corresponding media broadcast,for example, by selecting an up arrow, down arrow, rating (e.g., on anumerical or graphical scale), etc. Upon submission of a vote, thebroadcast management system 60 will receive the vote(s) and track thevote(s), via the voting module 66. The votes, in some embodiments, maybe divided or tracked as ‘positive’ and/or ‘negative’ votes. Forexample, an up arrow (or its equivalent) may be characterized in someembodiments as a ‘positive’ vote, meaning, for example, the voting user32 enjoyed or enjoys the broadcast. On the other hand, a down arrow (orits equivalent) may be characterized in some embodiments as a ‘negative’vote, meaning, for example, the voting user 32 did not enjoy thebroadcast.

Votes are received, collected and tallied during the correspondingbroadcast, and in some instances may be displayed to the users, such asthe content providing user 22, the voting user(s) 32, and/or thewatching user(s) 42. In some embodiments, the time allotted for theparticular broadcast or media stream may be extended in the event thebroadcast is attributed a predetermined number of positive votes, forinstance, during the broadcast. In such a case, additional broadcastingtime may be added to the broadcast, allowing the broadcast to continuebeyond the initial broadcast time.

As an example, a user broadcasting on a ‘Sports’ channel may be providedan initial broadcasting time of one minute or 60 seconds. During thattime, for example, while the user 22 is broadcasting live on the Sportschannel via his or her device, voting users 32, using a voting device30, may view the live broadcast 204 and submit one or more votes. In anexemplary embodiment, the system 10 and/or method 100 may be configuredsuch that every ten (10) positive votes will result in an additionalbroadcasting time in the amount of 10 seconds. Of course these numbersare provided for illustrative purposes only and should not be deemedlimiting in any manner. In such a case, if the system 10 and/or method100 receives (10) positive votes attributed to the correspondingbroadcast, during the initial allotted time, then an additional tenseconds will be added to the broadcasting time. Otherwise, the broadcastwill terminate or stop at the end of the timer.

Some embodiments (or some channels) may allow the time to be extended apredetermined number of times only (e.g., once, twice, etc.), althoughother embodiments (or other channels) may allow the time to be extendedan indefinite number of times, so long as positive votes continue to beprovided and attributed to the broadcast.

In any event, a broadcast may be terminated or stopped by the system 10or method 100 upon the expiration of broadcasting time, e.g., either theinitially allotted time, or the initially allotted time plus anyadditional time provided due to the collection of positive votes via thevoting module 66. Particularly, referring back to the flow chart of FIG.3, during the broadcast, the method 100 will determine whetheradditional time is warranted, as shown at 105. For example, as describedabove, additional time may be warranted upon the receipt of apredetermined number of positive votes during the broadcast. Ifadditional time is added, some embodiments may continue to collectvotes, for example, in order to determine is even more additional timeis warranted. Once the broadcasting time has expired, as shown at 107,the broadcast is stopped or terminated 106.

Some embodiments of the system 10 and/or method 100 of the presentinvention may provide an additional mechanism upon which the broadcastmay be terminated or stopped 106, for example, prior to the expirationof time. In particular, in at least one embodiment, the collection of orreceipt of a predetermined number or percentage of ‘negative’ votesattributed to a broadcast can be used to immediately terminate or stopthe broadcast. For example, with reference to 109 in FIG. 3, a ‘killswitch’ may be implemented such that when a broadcast is attributed apredetermined number or percentage of negative votes, the system 10and/or method 100 may immediately terminate or stop the broadcast 106.For example, the system 10 or method 100 may include a predeterminednumber (e.g., 10, 50, 100) of negative votes that when received andattributed to a broadcast, will serve to immediately terminate thebroadcast. Other embodiments may implement a ‘kill switch’ based upon apercentage of negative votes as compared to positive votes, or apercentage of negative votes as compared to the number of viewing userscurrently viewing the broadcast, as an example. For instance, oneillustrative and non-limiting example, if approximately or exactly 80%of the votes received are negative votes, then the broadcast may beimmediately or thereafter terminated. It should be noted that thenumber, amount or percentage of negative votes required to terminate abroadcast prior to the expiration of time (e.g., via the ‘kill switch’)may be different for different channels, users, regions, days, etc.

Further features of certain embodiments of the present invention includeselecting or determining the next broadcasting user 22, for example,upon the expiration or termination of the current broadcast. Forinstance, in some embodiments, and in some instances, there is acontinuous or near continuous stream of media or broadcast in a singlechannel such that when one broadcast ends (either via expiration of timeor termination via the ‘kill switch’), another broadcast will begin,generally from a different user, via different content providing device20 and from a different physical or geographic location.

Selection or determination of the next broadcasting user 22 or device 20may include a jump zone module 67 (as provided by reference character108 in FIG. 3) and/or a next broadcaster selection module 68 (asprovided by reference character 110 in FIG. 3). Particularly, the jumpzone module 67 of at least one embodiment of the present inventioncomprises one or more hardware and/or software components that arestructured to determine or define an area, region, or physical zone,e.g. a jump zone 50, from which to select the next broadcaster 22′. Forexample, the jump zone module 67 may utilize a set of jump zone criteriato determine or define the jump zone 50 from which the next broadcaster22′ will be selected. The jump zone criteria may be different fordifferent channels or implementations of the various embodiments of thepresent invention.

With reference to exemplary FIG. 5, in one embodiment, the jump zone 50may be defined by jump zone criteria such as a minimum distance 51 and amaximum distance 52 from the location of the current broadcaster 22.Specifically, the geographic location of the broadcaster 22 may bedetermined in a number of different ways, for example, via accessing GPSor location based hardware/software of the content providing device 20.For example, use of the system 10 or method 100 of some embodiments mayallow access to the GPS or location data obtained by the device 20itself, which, as above, may be a cellular phone, tablet computer,laptop computer, desktop computer, etc. Other embodiments may obtain thelocation of the users 22 by information provided in a corresponding userprofile or other means or manners.

In any event, with the location of the user 22, or current broadcasterknown or estimated, in some embodiments the jump zone 50 may becalculated or determined based upon a minimum distance 51 and a maximumdistance 52 from the user's 20 location. In this regard, the nextbroadcaster 22′ must be located within a radial distance from thecurrent user 20 defined by the jump zone criteria, such as a physical orgeographic region defined between the minimum distance 51 and maximumdistance 52. In one exemplary embodiment, the minimum distance 51 may bethree (3) or five (5) miles and the maximum distance 52 may be fifty(50) miles, such that the next broadcaster 22′ must be located within aradial distance between three or five and fifty miles from the currentbroadcasting user 22. Of course, other distances and criteria may beused and implemented within the full spirit and scope of the presentinvention, whether greater or lesser than three (3) or fifty (50) miles.In addition, for example, the jump zone 50 may be defined by only aminimum distance 51 or only a maximum distance 52.

Similarly, at the end of the next user's 22′ broadcast, the system 10and/or method 100 will determine or calculate the next jump zone 50′,for example, based upon a minimum distance 51′ and a maximum distance52′, or other jump zone criteria. As can be seen, this creates a dynamicor moving jump zone 50, 50′ that moves physically or geographically asthe content providing user 22, 22′ changes in accordance with thevarious embodiments of the present invention.

In other embodiments, and/or in other channels, the jump zones 50 may bedetermined based upon other jump zone criteria, such as, for example,landmarks, states, countries, colleges, universities, geographic regionsor areas, etc. In particular, rather than defining the jump zone 50 as aradial physical area surrounding the current broadcasting user 20, someembodiments may define the jump zone 50 in different areas of thecountry or World.

As an example, if the jump zone criteria is a state, then the nextbroadcasting user 22′ may be selected from a different state from thelocation of the current broadcasting user 20. For instance, if thecurrent broadcasting user 20 is located in Florida, then the nextbroadcasting user 22′ may be selected from an adjacent state (e.g.,Georgia), a next state in a predetermined list of states, or from any ofthe other states, excluding Florida. The same or similar process may beused to define a jump zone 50 with jump zone criteria being a differentcountry, college, university, stadium, etc.

Once the jump zone 50 is defined (whether it is defined as a radial orother distance from the current broadcaster 20, as a different landmark,country, state, college, university, etc., or as a zone defined by otherjump zone criteria), the method 100 further include selecting the nextbroadcaster 22′ from within the jump zone 50, as shown at 110, forexample, from a pool of or a plurality of potential broadcasting users.Specifically, with the jump zone 50 defined, there may be a plurality ofusers 22 that have indicated their desire to broadcast content next, forexample, on a particular channel. Since some embodiments only allow asingle broadcaster 22 at a time on each channel, the system 10 and/ormethod 100 of at least one embodiment may need to select the nextbroadcaster 22′ based upon certain selection criteria.

For instance, in some embodiments, the selection criteria may be definedas temporal priority criteria, meaning that the first user within thejump zone to indicate his or her desire to broadcast (and, in someembodiments who is available to broadcast immediately at the conclusionof the current or prior broadcast) will be given the opportunity tobroadcast from his or her device 20. It should also be noted that someembodiments or some channels may not have a jump zone defined, and mayinstead use the temporal priority criteria of the next broadcasterselection module 68 to select the next broadcaster. In such a case, thenext broadcaster may be located virtually anywhere, since a jump zonemay not be defined as a limiting characteristic in selecting the nextbroadcaster.

In other embodiments, the next broadcaster selection module 68 may use aranking or point system criteria in order to define the nextbroadcasting user 22′, for example, within the jump zone 50, when a jumpzone 50 is defined. In particular, in order for a broadcasting user 22to obtain points or otherwise increase his or her rank, in at least oneembodiment, the broadcasting user 22 can share content and/or completetasks within the system 10 and method 100 of the present invention. Forexample, tasks may include completing or conducting consumer (or other)surveys, purchasing items (goods or services) via the system 10 ormethod 100, sharing content via other social networks, broadcastingmedia as described herein, submitting votes for other broadcasts withinthe system 10 and method 100, etc. Completion of certain tasks mayresult in the allotment of points or accumulating credits, for example.The more points or credits a user has, the higher his or her rank withinthe system 10 and/or method 100 of the present invention. Other tasks,opportunities, etc. can be used within the full spirit and scope of thepresent invention in order to accumulate or obtain points, credits, etc.and thereby increase a user ranking.

Accordingly, in at least one embodiment, the next broadcaster selectionmodule 68 may identify the user or potential broadcaster within the jumpzone 50 (if a jump zone is defined) that has the highest rank, orotherwise has the highest number of points, credits, etc. associatedwith his or her account or user profile. That user will then be the nextbroadcasting user 22′ and upon termination or expiration of the currentor prior broadcast, the next broadcasting user 22′ will be given theopportunity to broadcast media from his or her device 20, as shown at112.

In this regard, the broadcasting users 22, 22′ must complete tasks andother opportunities to obtain points or credits and hope to outrankother broadcasting users 22, 22′ located within the jump zone 50 for theopportunity to broadcast media via the system 10 and method 100 of atleast one embodiment of the present invention. As provided above, if thebroadcasting user 22, 22′ wins the opportunity to broadcast media, thenhe or she is assigned a specific (often predetermined) amount of time tobroadcast live on a particular themed (or other) channel. During theallotted amount of time, voting users 32 can submit votes attributed tothe broadcast or broadcaster—positive votes may result in additionaltime allotted to the current broadcast or broadcaster, whereas negativevotes may result in premature termination of the current broadcast orbroadcaster.

Additional features of some embodiments may include the incorporation ofa digital music service module 69 or digital media module which mayinclude hardware/software components that allow content viewing users,such as voting users 32 and/or watching users 42, to connect or sync athird-party or external digital music service to the system 10 and/ormethod 100 of the present invention.

Particularly, many users, such as content viewing users, may subscribeindependently to or otherwise have an account with a third-party digitalmusic service, such as Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, etc. The contentviewing user(s) may register or connect his or her third-party digitalmusic service account with his or her profile or account with thepresent system 10 and method 100, for example, by providing username,password or other account-identifying information with regard to thethird-party digital music service.

When an independent or other third-party digital music service issynced, registered, otherwise connected to the system 10 and/or method100 of the present invention, for example, via the digital music servicemodule 69, either the digital music service itself or the digital musicservice module 69 of the present invention may function to detect a song(e.g., a copyrighted song) that may be playing in a broadcast, e.g., bya broadcasting user 20. Upon detection, the digital music service or thedigital music service module of the present invention may simultaneouslyplay the detected song, music, or other audio content from the viewinguser's account or profiled of the third-party digital music service(e.g., Spotify, Pandora, etc.) rather than, instead of, or in sync withthe music that may be playing via the actual broadcast or live mediastream. This may allow the content viewing user, e.g., the voting user32 and/or watching user 42, the ability to adjust the music volume. Inaddition, this may allow a broadcasting user 22, the ability to select asong to play while broadcasting, for example, a song from a list ofaffiliated digital music services. At least one purpose of this aspectmay be to allow an artist to be paid or compensated by the digital mediaservice for their creative work.

Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operatingrequirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in theart, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen forpurposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications whichdo not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of thisinvention. This written description provides an illustrative explanationand/or account of the present invention. It may be possible to deliverequivalent benefits using variations of the specific embodiments,without departing from the inventive concept. This description and thesedrawings, therefore, are to be regarded as illustrative and notrestrictive.

Now that the invention has been described,

What is claimed is:
 1. A dynamic live media streaming method comprising:broadcasting, via a broadcast management system, a live media streamfrom at least one broadcasting device over at least one network to aplurality of content viewing devices, the broadcast management systemcomprising a computer processor, memory, storage device and at least onenetwork communication device for communication between the at least onebroadcasting device and the plurality of content viewing devices,determining a jump zone based upon at least one predetermined jump zonecriteria, the jump zone comprising a physical area where a nextbroadcasting device must be located, selecting the next broadcastingdevice that is physically located in the jump zone, stopping the livemedia stream from the at least one broadcasting device, and broadcastinganother live media stream from the next broadcasting device.
 2. Themethod as recited in claim 1 wherein stopping the live media stream fromthe at least one broadcasting device is based upon an expiration ofbroadcasting time.
 3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein stoppingthe live media stream is based upon a collection of votes attributed tothe live media stream from the at least one broadcasting device.
 4. Themethod as recited in claim 1 further comprising defining thepredetermined jump zone criteria as comprising a minimum distance fromthe at least one broadcasting device, and a maximum distance from the atleast one broadcasting device; wherein the physical geographic region ofthe jump zone is defined as being within the minimum distance from theat least one broadcasting device and the maximum distance from the atleast one broadcasting device.
 5. A live media streaming methodcomprising: broadcasting, via a broadcast management system, a livemedia stream in at least one of a plurality of broadcasting channels,the live media stream being transmitted from a broadcasting devicecorresponding to a broadcasting user, the broadcast management systemcomprising a computer processor, memory, storage device and at least onenetwork communication device for communication between the at least onebroadcasting device and the plurality of content viewing devices,determining a jump zone based upon predetermined jump zone criteriacorresponding to the at least one of the plurality of broadcastingchannels, the jump zone comprising a physical region, wherein the jumpzone of at least one of the plurality of broadcasting channels isdetermined based upon a location of the broadcasting user, defining thepredetermined jump zone criteria corresponding to the at least one ofthe plurality of broadcasting channels as comprising a minimum distancefrom the broadcasting user and a maximum distance from the broadcastinguser; wherein the physical region is defined as being within the minimumdistance and the maximum distance, selecting a next broadcasting usercorresponding to a location within the physical region of the dynamicjump zone, prior to broadcasting the live media stream from the nextbroadcasting device, stopping the live media stream from thebroadcasting device, and broadcasting another live media stream in theat least one of a plurality of broadcasting channels from a nextbroadcasting device corresponding to the next broadcasting user.
 6. Themethod as recited in claim 5 wherein stopping the live media stream isbased upon an expiration of broadcasting time.
 7. The method as recitedin claim 5 wherein stopping the live media stream is based upon areceipt of votes attributed to the live media stream transmitted fromthe broadcasting device.
 8. The method as recited in claim 5 whereinselecting the next broadcasting user comprises selecting a broadcastinguser comprising a higher rank than other potential users located withinthe dynamic jump zone.
 9. A dynamic live media streaming methodcomprising: broadcasting, via a broadcast management system, a livemedia stream from at least one broadcasting device over at least onenetwork to a plurality of content viewing devices, the broadcastmanagement system comprising a computer processor, memory, storagedevice and at least one network communication device for communicationbetween the at least one broadcasting device and the plurality ofcontent viewing devices, determining a jump zone based upon at least onepredetermined jump zone criteria, the jump zone comprising a physicalgeographic region where a next broadcasting device must be located,stopping the live media stream from the at least one broadcasting devicebased upon a receipt of votes attributed to the live media stream fromthe at least one broadcasting device, selecting the next broadcastingdevice in the jump zone, and broadcasting a live media stream from thenext broadcasting device.